Sunday, May 22

Royal Retreat

The commanding officer of The Royal Military Collage Sandhurst, the awesome Major General Ritchie, warned parents of the recent intake of Officer Cadets of the struggles ahead for their off spring.

''Expect the odd anguished telephone call '' he told them.

In the case of one parent HRH Charles, The Prince of Wales the CO might have saved his breath. HRH was staying in a retreat in an isolated Romanian monastery, blissfully far beyond the reach of telecommunications.